Applicant is the holder of U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,778 for a "Pickup Truck Convertible Hardtop/Jump Seat". The aforesaid patent was directed towards a novel mechanism for the transformation of two or three seat pickup trucks into four or five seat pickup truck convertibles. The thrust of the aforesaid patent was the modification of the cab section of a pickup truck having a pivotable means allowing the cab top to become completely disposed within the truck bed such that it functions as a rearwardly facing jump seat.
The prior art cited by Applicant in the prosecution of the aforesaid patent identified the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,047,016 to Elwood; 1,410,139 to Tavelli; 1,766,015 to Dupre; 4,139,232 to Cerf; 4,238,876 to Monroe; 4,335,916 to Gutgsell; 4,480,868 to Koto; 4,595,230 to Russell and 4,623,187 to Ibrahim; none of which, when taken alone or in combination, disclose the specific details of Applicant's prior invention.
The present application is directed towards an improved assembly which provides for certain modifications to the truck bed to accommodate the design of certain pickup truck cabs which are contoured such that the width of the cab at its base where the pivotable means would be secured is slightly wider than the available width of the truck bed, yet the cab is tapered upwardly to its roof line such that the width of the roof is less than the width of the truck bed. Applicant's modifications provide for an accommodation in the sidewalls of the truck bed to allow for the pickup truck cab when structured as aforesaid to still pivot into the truck bed, thus providing for a pickup truck convertible and an optional jump seat.